Waxflower plant named &#39;WX 56&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘WX 56’ is a new and distinct waxflower plant (interspecific  Chamelaucium  hybrid) notable for its early flowering, compact growth habit, and dense terminal cover of medium size white flowers that age to pink and then purple-red.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid (Chamelaucium megalopetalum×Chamelaucium uncinatum).

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘WX 56’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘WX 56’ is a new waxflower plant that originated as a seedling produced in a sexual breeding program conducted by the State of Western Australia at its Medina Research Station and at its South Perth nursery and laboratories. ‘WX 56’ was selected from seedlings of a controlled cross of female parent Chamelaucium megalopetalum ‘CM 5.5’ (not patented), and male parent C. uncinatum ‘827/887-8’ (not patented). An embryo was excised from fruit produced in 2000 and germinated in vitro. The resulting seedling was subcultured in tissue culture four times, deflasked, hardened and planted in the field at Medina Research Station in May 2001. Following flowering in July 2002, the seedling was vegetatively propagated via cuttings and a second generation of cuttings taken in March 2003. A subsequent generation was propagated vegetatively in 2009. Growth and flowering records of the generations were recorded from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2010. No off-types were recorded and all plants were found to be uniform and stable.

‘WX 56’ is distinguishable from its female parent ‘CM 5.5’ by a number of features, as described in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Characteristic CM 5.5 WX 56 Flower color White/pink aging White aging to pink to bright red and then red/purple Leaf length Short Medium Plant height Short Medium

‘WX 56’ is distinguishable from its male parent ‘827/887-8’ by a number of features, as described in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2 Characteristic CM 827/887-8 WX 56 Flower color Pink White aging to pink and then red/purple Leaf length Long Medium Leaf cross-section Round Flattened/triangular

‘WX 56’ is also distinguishable from other known waxflower varieties. Comparisons of ‘WX 56’ to ‘WX 58’ (not patented) and ‘Purple Gem’ (not patented), the most similar varieties of common knowledge, are set forth in Tables 3 and 4 below:

TABLE 3 Characteristic WX 58 WX 56 Flower color 28 days Dark purple/red Mid red/purple after opening Flower diameter Medium-large Medium Leaf length Small Medium Flower colour of Red brown Dark green hypanthium day 28

TABLE 4 Characteristic Purple Gem WX 56 Flower color Mottled pink/white White aging to pink aging to purple and then to red/purple Flower diameter Small-medium Medium Leaf attitude Semi-erect Erect Leaf cross-section Rounded Flattened/triangular

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of ‘WX 56’ growing outdoors;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are photographs of the flowers of ‘WX 56’;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are close-up photographs of a flower of ‘WX 56’;

FIG. 7 is a photograph showing the typical coloration progression of flowers of ‘WX 56’;

FIG. 8 is a close-up photograph of a leaf of ‘WX 56’;

FIG. 9 is a photograph of a branch and leaves of ‘WX 56’;

FIG. 10 is a photograph of a branch, leaves and flowers of ‘WX 56’;

FIG. 11 is a close-up photograph of a young bud of ‘WX 56’; and

FIG. 12 is a close-up photograph of an older bud of ‘WX 56’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations of four-year-old plants of ‘WX 56’ waxflower plants growing at Medina Research Station, Medina, Western Australia during August and September 2013 (early spring). All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (2001). It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   Plant:     -   -   Summary.—‘WX 56’ is an early flowering compact medium-height             bush with dense terminal cover of medium (17 mm) white             flowers that age to pink and then red/purple.         -   Growth habit.—Branching upright shrub growing to a height of             1.2 meters and bush diameter of 1.3 m.         -   Flowering stem length.—60 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf density.—Main branch: about 4 pairs per 6 cm branch             length. Secondary branch: 8 pairs of leaves, branch 5 cm in             length.         -   Aroma.—Eucalyptus or citrus aroma when leaves are crushed.         -   Leaf internode length.—Average 15.5 mm on main branch, and             11.3 mm on secondary branch.         -   Leaf size.—Length 13.5 mm, width 1.6 mm.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly obovate with acute apex.         -   Leaf surface texture.—Glabrous glandular, leathery, shiny.         -   Leaf margin.—Entire.         -   Leaf base.—Sessile truncate to stem.         -   Leaf cross-section.—Triangular with indented upper surface.         -   Leaf color.—New growth, upper and lower surface yellow-green             144A; mature leaves, upper and lower surface deep green             137A. -   Flower:     -   -   Flower bud.—Fresh buds — Cone shaped with smooth shiny             surface color yellow-green 145B and tip of bud color             orange-red N30; diameter 4.4 mm, length 4.6 mm. Older buds —             More elongated with papery operculum, coarse, surface color             grey-brown N199B to N199C; diameter 4.8 mm, length 9.0 mm.         -   Flowering season.—Early July to mid August (Medina Research             Station, Medina, Western Australia).         -   Flower longevity.—60 days.         -   Flower quality.—High.         -   Flowering time.—Early.         -   Flower description.—Flowers slightly cupped and petals             separate when fully open, round in shape, upper and lower             surface are glabrous waxy, entire margin, truncate base and             fused to calyx, rounded apex. Flower color undergoes changes             as it matures (lower and upper surface same coloration).         -   Petal color.—On day of opening, white 155D; 10 to 14 days             after opening, red-purple 68C; When fully developed entire             petal is red-purple 64A.         -   Flower arrangement.—Corymb.         -   Flower type.—Single flower.         -   Flowering habit.—Terminal, panicle florescence.         -   Flower shape.—Cup-shaped.         -   Flower diameter.—Average 16.8 mm; depth 11.7 mm (top of             stigma to bottom of ovary).         -   Flowering branch angle.—Overlapping.         -   Flowering attitude of petals on day of opening.—Semi erect.         -   Flowering branch angle 2 weeks after opening.—Semi erect.         -   Flower.—Length of sepal in relation to length of petal —             Less than one-third.         -   Petiole (pedicle) length.—Long, 15 mm; aspect 12 degrees to             18 degrees.         -   Hypanthium shape.—Obconical with longitudinal furrowing on             full length.         -   Hypanthium diameter.—Medium, 7.2 mm.         -   Hypanthium main color at middle part.—On day of opening of             flower, yellow-green 145C; four weeks after opening of             flower, yellow-green 145C red with patches of red-purple 68A             to 64A.         -   Nectaries.—About 6 mm in diameter; color, see hypanthium.         -   Flower petals.—Usually 5, occasionally 6 to 7, round shape;             fused sepals at base to hypanthium, with rounded outer             separate lobes arranged alternately between petals; tube             portion fluted; fused sepals yellow-green 145B to 146B;             lobed sepals; new petals white 155D, developing an inner             patch of red-purple 68A to 64A as the flower ages.         -   Petal shape.—Slightly cupped and undulation of margins weak.         -   Petal texture.—Waxy, glabrous.         -   Petal dimensions.—Slightly broader (6.9mm) than long (6.5             mm).         -   Stamen collar.—Color at opening of flower white 155D.         -   Stamen collar 10 to 14 days after opening of flower.—Color             pink 155D with red-purple 68C tinge.         -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma bearded, color yellow-green             N144D with style white 155D, with patches towards tip of             red-purple 63A-68C; length 6 mm.         -   Androcoecium.—About 10 fertile stamens with 10 infertile             staminodes arranged alternatively on a collar adnate to             junction of petals and calyx; filament length 1.3 mm, color             white 155D aging to red-purple 68C with tinges of red-purple             64A; staminode length 1 mm, color white 155D aging with             tinges of red-purple 64A; anthers length about 0.7 mm, color             greyed-orange 166B; pollen is sterile.         -   Disease resistance.—Moderate. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct waxflower plant substantially as shown and described herein. 